Dilemma: I feel uncomfortable with PG-13 movies about war because they feel so sanitized and hide the horrors and brutality of it. But I also feel uncomfortable with really brutal movies about war when the violence feels enthralling like an action movie.
What are good movies about war that conveys how fucked up it all is? Ones that tells humanity to never do this shit again.
@Nifflas it's a stretch to call it a war movie, but Jacob's Ladder fits the description. It's a psychological horror movie, with a lot about losing a kid and plenty of medical horror. Kind of tough to watch at moments, with a lot of sadness/bittersweet moments. But a central theme is the horrors of war and it definitely has zero chance of making anything heroic.
@detondev@Nifflas Yeah I was going to say Come and See. It used to be free on Youtube for some reason. Very much like the new All Quiet on the Western Front, but even darker, really.
@HeyCmdrCody I'll check 'em all out! Strangelove is the only one of those I've seen and it's soooo goooood! Shows you can make the most bonkers comedy about the subject and still be on point!
@Nifflas Strangelove is a certified forever classic. Paths of Glory should be free on Prime, and Criterion. Three Kings youll have to rent. Either way, they are both worth the $5 rental. Hope they scratch that itch!
There's another one, I believe autobiographical, depicting the immediate aftermath of one of the nukes hitting Japan. Don't remember the title but the imagery was deeply fucked up.
Oddly I can't think of anything live action offhand
@Nifflas The other movie referenced by @beeoproblem is Barefoot Gen, it's about a boy from Hiroshima who survives the atomic bomb by coincidentally ducking behind a stone wall. The scene often gets clipped and posted individually, here's a copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mJ_NJqiqiY Mind you it's very gory. Does fit your "conveys how fucked up" search.
The film itself is alright. If you've seen that scene, you've most likely seen the best part. Grave of the Fireflies is vastly better written.
Like, I'm totally for thrilling action-y fictional war stuff. I love action! Just don't make it try to portray something close to reality. There's a deep uncanny valley around when it feels like it's trying to portray a real war but doesn't do it fairly.
@Nifflas That is unlikely to happen in current day Hollywood productions, since Hollywood is very dependent on being given access to the US military's vehicles and equipment to make their blockbusters, and as such have a deal to always portray the Military in a way that can be used as propaganda to join.
But do have a look at some older titles like Full Metal Jacket, All Quiet On The Western Front, Paths of Glory, Platoon or Apocalype Now. Or alternatively war movies made by other countries.
@Nifflas I must admit hat it's not really a genre I return to often. I tend to watch schlocky B-movies most of the time, since the school system has made me unable to not actively over-analyse everything I watch, which makes these kinds of movies wonderful but also incredibly exhausting to sit down with.
@duffadash Haha, yeah, same! Since I do enjoy a lot of violent action films and shooty/fighty games, occasionally I like to remind myself the real thing is just horrible machine of death and suffering. I know a movie will never do it justice and can never convey the real thing, but it can serve as a warning.
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